Ozone Sanitizer and Disinfector
Hello Harp Techs, the timing could not have been better for Professor Jim Antaki of Turbo Harp to offer the “Harmonica Bug Blaster”. A portable Ozone Sanitizer and Disinfector that promises to destroy 99.9% of all the nasty germs that love to live inside the nooks and crannies of our warm dark harmonicas.
https://www.turboharp.com/harmonica-sanitizer-sterilizer
My device arrived in a small 4” x 3” x 3” box, and like magic it grew
Uncrumpled, the harmonica bug blaster measures 10” long
Unscrew the headpiece like the lid of a jelly jar
Easy to use, simply unscrew the head piece, place your harmonica into the silicon receptacle
Return the lid and plug in the (included) 5v 1A USB charger cable (wall charger not included)
As soon as you plug in the cable the button located on top of the lid will glow red
Press the button and it will glow green. The digital clock will count down from 5 minutes
Here is a sneak peak of the energized infrared UV cathode tube
After the digital timer automatically turns off the ozone generator, unscrew the head piece, then remove your harmonica from the silicone receptacle.
The next time you play this instrument, you can be confident that there are no nasty little buggies living inside. This harmonica is now sanitized and disinfected!
Your Harpsmith, Kinya
Hello Kinya, The Turbo Harp UV light cleaner looks interesting yet they state in their literature that they use an Ultra sonic cleaner for Harps. Did I read that correctly? Also, wouldn't you have to dissemble the harp for all regions to be effected by the UV light? For 5 years I have been using your recommendaed technique for cleaning my diatonics including an Ultra Sonic cleaner. Do you have a different recommendation for cleaning as oppossed to your original instructions?
Sorry Kinya. It's ozone, not UV. Same questions however.
James:
Ultra Sonic agitation removes gunk and debris (CLEANS) but does not kill (DISINFECT) microorganisms (germs, virus).
Ozone is a GAS, that kills (DISINFECT) microorganisms (germs, virus).
As a gas, Ozone will reach any surface on or in a harmonica.
So, if you want your harmonica to be both Clened AND Disenfected, you would use Ultrasonic followed by Ozone.
I have a pretty good handle on both UV and Ozone from the world of Wastewater Treatment.
Ozone = O3 is what you smell when you let the smoke out of an electrical circuuit.
[At my workplace, I am the "Head Turd"]
Thank you for the assist Head Turd!
Your Harpsmith, Kinya
Thanks for the info
Hello Harp Techs, Professor Jim Antaki provided us with the following information:
UV-derived ozone has been used for numerous years as a low-temperature sterilant to kill all sorts of bugs. It works by rapidly oxidizing, hence destroying microorganism. In 2003 it was cleared by the FDA for processing reusable medical devices. … and that’s how I came to know about it.
The ozone process is compatible with a wide range of commonly used materials, and it safe for use by the operator because there is no handling of the sterilant, no toxic emissions, no residue to aerate, and low operating temperature means there is no danger of an accidental burn.
I myself have not actually taken a culture of a harmonica before and after an ozone treatment; but I am very confident that it is equivalent to documented efficacy reported in literature. For example this is a culture dish of e.Coli before/after 8-minute treatment of ozone:
More from Prof. Antaki:
“I would; however, recommend that harp players do their own research”
As of April 3, 2020 shipment of the Bug Buster is still held up in China; therefore, Prof.Antaki recommends you consider his original Turbo Harp ozone desktop version https://www.turboharp.com/ozone-harmonica-sanitizer
Your Harpsmith, Kinya